Irish Football Association Challenge Cup Round Four

Moyola Park 3 (Gallagher 2, McAllister) Glebe Rangers 2 (Christie pen, Nicholl)

The players of Moyola Park and Glebe Rangers joined with those of clubs across the country in ‘Football Remembers’ before the start of this Irish FA Challenge Cup Fourth Round tie, to commemorate the truce of Christmas 1914 when soldiers from both sides in World War 1 met in no man’s land to play a game of football.

From the outset Glebe Rangers made it obvious that they sought revenge for a Championship Two defeat at Mill Meadow in the opening game of the current season. David McVicker made a strong run down the right wing in the 7th minute before placing a perfect cross into the path of Ian Christie who with Marty Rea’s goal at his mercy shot over the crossbar. Four minutes later Chris Dowie shot wide of Brian Kane’s left hand upright. McVicker pulled a hamstring as he defended a Moyola Park attack and was replaced by Ryan Marks after 18 minutes. Just before the 20 minute mark Craig McAllister crossed from the right wing to Dowie whose shot across goal went narrowly wide. On 37 minutes following a botched Moyola Park throw in Peter Kennaway’s shot from the edge of the penalty area went narrowly wide of the Moyola Park goal. Within a minute Glebe Rangers took the lead when Christie netted from the penalty spot after referee Lee Tavinder had adjudged that Christopher Nicholl had been fouled.

Moyola Park played a more forceful game in the second half but neither side looked like adding to the score line until in the 71st minute assistant referee Richard Scott adjudged that Nicholl’s effort had crossed the goal line. What proved to be the turning point in the game occurred when Brian Kane landed awkwardly and following a five minute delay he was stretchered off the field of play. Nicholl pulled on the keeper’s shirt and Peter Spratt came on as substitute. Eugene Gallagher gave Moyola Park a lifeline on 80 minutes when following Maurice Curtis’ long ball he headed past Nicholl. As the game approached time added on Nicholl brought off the save of the match when he tipped another Gallagher goal bound effort over his crossbar. McAllister, one of Moyola Park’s unsung heroes, found himself in space on the edge of Glebe Rangers’ penalty area and he calmly slotted the ball into the corner of Nicholl’s net to leave the scores level. That man Gallagher popped up again with only seconds left in time added on to nick the winner for Moyola Park and complete the great escape.

The draw for round five of the competition, when NIFL Premiership clubs enter the fray, will take place on Wednesday 17 December in the Grand Opera House, Belfast at 11.30am.

Moyola Park: Marty Rea, Craig Mc Allister, Gareth Stewart (Maurice Curtis), Steven McQuillan, Sean McCabe ( Conal Kilpatrick), Mark Waddell, Curtis Hassan (Darren Walls), Eugene Gallagher, Chris Dowie, Conor Deane, Robert Lucas. Subs not used: Connor Barrow, Mervyn Pattison

Glebe Rangers: Brian Kane (Peter Spratt), Jackie Morrison, Sam Shaw, Alan Sheapard, Chad Dobbin, Kirk Brace (Colin Byers), David McVicker (Ryan Marks) Peter Kennoway, Christopher Nicholl, Ian Christie, Maurice McDowell. Sub not used: Jonathan Hume